For a lot of people - myself included - our profession is part of our identity.

So when your job role goes through a massive change, what do you do? I have worked hard to be in the position I am as a newspaper editor, and I love it. But last year, one of the two newspapers that I edited was closed. For a while, I didn’t cope. I still turned up to work, did my job, and did my best to support those around me. But it was like I was paralysed in this mix of emotions that I couldn’t seem to get my head around. Most of it was worrying about the future, which I obviously had no control of.

But then I realised I had a choice.

I could continue to wallow in self-pity or I could turn the situation into a positive. It did hit home that some self- reflection was needed. It made me really think about the future of my job, of what my role would now look like and how I could (or had to) adapt. I sought professional help which subconsciously, and consciously, has been life-changing.

The change has cleared space for new ideas and directions at work. One of the biggest things was that I learned to recognise and better manage stress and my health. I get out of the office at least once a day, even if it is just to walk to the shops and get some sunshine. I take regular breaks, even if it’s just a minute to go and refill my water bottle and clear my head. I eat healthfully (most of the time!) and moderately, noticing that certain foods make me feel better than others.

A post shared by Zoe Powell (@theadventuresof.zoe) on May 25, 2017 at 3:12pm PDT

Sugars and sweeteners are definitely the ones to watch for me. I do some form of incidental or moderate exercise each day (usually walking, or a dance class at the gym), and do some form of yoga at least once a week. It clears my head and allows me to work better. And outside of work, I really got stuck into my website and writing, and am taking up new opportunities based on my interests of food, health, wellness and travel. I’m putting myself out there more and keeping an open mind - and it is bringing good things into my life! Two things that have really resonated and stuck with me have been:

“Do more of what makes you happy” - really looking at what interests me, and focussing on that, has opened up more opportunities in my life generally and made me happier

“Things happen for a reason” - yes, sometimes life throws up challenges. But I turned a negative into a positive by focussing on how I could learn from the experience and be stronger and better because of it.

Zoe is an editor and journalist at Leader Community News in Melbourne and writes and edits a wide range of news and feature topics for weekly publications.

She has a keen interest in health, wellness, cooking, food and travel and through rediscovering her own health has become an ambassador for Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar program.

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